Display device



1 Jan. 12, 1932. H s GREENSTONE 1,841,026

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 27, 1951 P i Z 7 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HENRY S. GREENSTONE, DE LOS.ANGELES, CALIFORNIA DISPLAY, DEVICE Application filed June 27,

This invention relates to an alluminated display device adaptedtodisplay in an advantageous manner advertising matter, pictures, andvarious other matter which it is desired to vary from time to time.

An object of the invention is to provide improved resilient means forremovably sustaining a. series of bars or other supporting members whichare designed to hold the placard upon which letters, pictures, etcetera, may be inscribed in position for illumination and for convenientinspection.

Another object of the invention is to improve various details ofconstruction of devices of the kind stated with regard to simplicity ofconstruction, low cost of manufacture, and convenience of assembling.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an illuminateddisplay device wherein a translucent face plate will be combined in amore advantageous manner, not only with the bars which support theletters or other matter to be displayed, but also with novel springs ofa simplified and improved construction to retain the bars removably inan operative position.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention may hereinafterappear Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what isat present deemed to be apreferred embodiment of'the invention V Fig. 1is a vertical section of the device taken on line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device.

1 Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged vertical sectional de tail'taken on line 44 ofFig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the casing 7 is of aquadrilateralcharacter as viewed in cross section and having the comparatively narrowrear wall 8, side walls 9 and a face plate 10 which is disposedoppositely to the back or rear wall 8, said face plate being composed oftransparent or translucent material. The face platelO, preferably of arectangular form, is shown pro- I vided along each of its four sideswith a moldi fing 14, the vertical portions of said molding 1931. SerialNo. 547,320.

being provided witha groove or recess 15 which extends along the outerface of each vertical margin of the face plate 10. Withineach. of saidgrooves 15 is seated a leaf spring 16 which is adapted to releasablysup- '55 port a series of transversely extending placard-supporting bars18.

As well shown in Fig. t each leaf spring 16 is so bent as to providetherein a series of spaced seats 20 which is adapted to receive an endportion of any one of the bars 18, and at each side of each seat 10,said spring is provided with a rise 21. Midway between each of the seats10 the leaf spring 16 is bent to a greater depth as indicated at 22,these deep po tions of the spring being designed to r upon the edgeportion of the molding 14-. at the bottom of the groove 15 thereof. Atthese points the leaf spring 21 is preferably secured to the molding byany suitable attaching device such as the tacks or small nails 25.

Each of the placarcbsupporting bars 18 is provided at its opposite edgeswith a groove 27 which is adapted to receive an edge portion of one ofthe placards 45. Owing to the fact that the seats 20 of each spring 16are not so deep as the intervening seats 22, a clearance 30 is providedbetween the spring opposite each seat 20 and the adjacent edge of themolding as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. This clearance 230 permits thespring to be sprung down opposite such clearance whenever it is desiredto insert or remove the end portion of the bar 18 which is to besupported 35 in said seat. T he placard-supporting bars 18 are resilientand are relatively narrow and therefore can be sprung sufiiciently in anedgewise manner to permit insertion of they placards between them aftersaid bars have 99 been mounted with their end portions occupying theseats 20. The resiliency of the bars 18 also aids the operator inspringing the end portions of said bars into the seats provided forthem.

Referring to certain details of construction, the casing 7 is. providedwith a door 35 to admit the lamp globes '36 which are mounted inside thecasing over lamp sockets 38 111 any well known approved manner. Thedevice is provided with a ventilating opening 40 in its upper end wall41, said ventilating opening preferably being covered'by a shield 42 inspaced relation thereto.

The leaf spring 16 is shown as a relatively narrow strip of resilientmaterial being so bent that the seats 22 and 20 extend from edge to edgethereof and the wallsateach side of these seats extend at substantiallya right the face plate while a small placard 46 is located in the upperportion thereof and also another smaller placard in the lower portion ofthe face plate. By providing a con-.

siderable number of seats 20 formed in the springs 16 in properly spacedrelation to each other, a greater variety of adjustments may be obtainedwith regard to the spacing of the placard supporting bars 18.

The display device provided by this invention is not limited to theilluminating feature, but may be used independently thereof to supportplacards on billboards or in the directories of oflice buildings.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a casing having a translucent faceplate, illuminating means within said casing to direct light throughsaid face plate, a leaf spring extending along a marginal portionof theouter face of said face plate, said spring having a series of spacedseats therein, and a plurality ofbars having end portions adapted tospring into said seats. 7

2. In a device of the kind described, a casing having a translucent faceplate, illuminating means. within said casing to direct light throughsaid faceplate, an upwardly and downwardly extending leaf spring locatedat each vertical margin of said face plate, each of sald springs havinga plurality of seats the bottom portions of which are &

directed away from the central portion of the face plate, and aplurality of bars adapted to support placards, said bars each havinging, a spring extending upwardly and downend portions which are adaptedto be sprung into and out of said seats.

3 In a device of the kind described, the combination with a face plateand'means for directing light therethrough; of a retaining springmounted to extend along a marginal portion of said face plate, saidspring consisting of a relatively narrow strip of resilient material,which is provided with a series of bends thereby forming in said strip aseries of seats which extend across the entire width thereof.

4. In a device of the kind described, the 54 combination with a faceplate and means for directing light therethrough; ofa retaining springmounted to extend along a marginal portion of said face plate, saidspring consisting of a relatively, narrow strip of re- '51 silientmaterial, which is' provided with a series of bends thereby forming insaid strip a series of seats which extend across the entire widththereof, relatively deep seats alternating with relatively shallow seatsin said 51 a series of seats, relatively deep seats alternating withrelatively shallow seats in said series, and fastening means wherebysaid spring is secured in place in such a manner as to permit fiexion ofthe portions thereof} containing said deep seats.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a faceplate;'of means extending vertically across said face plate and providedwith a series of seats located at op i posite margins of said faceplate, and a series of placard-supporting bars having grooved edgeportions, said bars being resilient to permit them tobe deflected in an,edgewise manner to receive the placards in the grooves- E thereof, theend portions of said bars being adapted to be Supported in said seats.

7. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a pair'ofcooperating'supporting members which extend in substantialfiparallelism'toeach other and each of which has a series of seats facingthe other, of a set of placard-supporting bars which have longitudinallyextending seats adapted to receive placards, the end portions of saidbars' f being adapted to engage said seats, said sup porting membersbeing resilient,'and said placarchsuppor'ting bars also being resilient,thus adapting said bars to have their end portions sprung into and outof the seats of said supporting members.

8. In a device of the kind described, a caswardly along a marginalportion of said casing, said spring havinga series of spacedi shoulderswhich are directed toward the midwidth of the casing, and a plurality ofbars having end portions adapted to rest upon said shoulders, theresiliency of said spring permitting said shoulders to be forced out-"wardly for the insertion of said bars in position to be supported bysaid shoulders.

9. In a device of the kind described, a casing, a plurality of resilientplacard supporting bars, adapted to be sup orted by said bars, and apair of elongate members, one

of said members being located at one side of the casing and the other atthe other side thereof, each of said members being provided combinationwith a pair of coo erating supporting members which extend insubstantial parallelism to each other and each of which has a series ofseats facing the other, of a set of bars adapted to support placards,the end portions of said bars being adapted to engage said seats, saidsupportlng members beingresilient and said bars also being resilientthus adapting said bars to have their end portions sprung into and outof the seats 1 of said supporting members.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HENRY S. GREENSTONE.

